They had no fewer than 100 sex slaves, girls as young as 12 who were freed alongside tiny babies early yesterday morning.

He said the “indoctrinated and brainwashed” girls and young women were taken to social workers for counselling.

“In this church it is forbidden to have identity documents. Children are not allowed to have birth certificates and they are not allowed to attend school,” Sithole said.

Commission chairperson Thoko Mkhwanazi-Xaluva told City Press yesterday she interviewed the cult leaders in 2016 during her investigation into church practices and made the parliamentary committee aware of her “serious concerns”.

“Everyone [at the cult] was sitting waiting for Jesus to come. We told Parliament that this was a high risk and these people need urgent attention.

“We warned that there will be something else [that will happen] once their money runs out. Look what has happened,” Mkhwanazi-Xaluva said.

“This has been a ticking time bomb. We said either these people are going to commit suicide or something else will happen.” [more]